Panic Fest 2025 Review: IT FEEDS, Face Your Trauma, Fight The Demon

 

Chad Archibald’s new horror thriller It Feeds starts off with a sprint, setting up the story and the characters swiftly then running from there. It is not as breathless as it sounds, just very efficient storytelling that does not labor the set up. We have trauma and consequences to explore, folks. Hustle hustle!

 

It starts with a prologue, a journey into the subconscious of one of Cynthia’s clients, to events in their past that haunt them in their present. Just as our imaginations are wont to run wild so do these landscapes of the mind reflect that, be they dark and terrifying places to wander.

 

The threat from the source of this person’s trauma is harsh and increasingly violent as Cynthia steps closer. It lashes out. In this short time we’ve seen Cynthia’s gift at work and the threat that it poses to her whenever she dives into the minds of her clients. 

 

We get our first taste of the jump scares which are placed accordingly to maximize effect. It is also one of those first ones that feels like Archibald is giving off a nod to a filmmaker like James Wan, specifically their film, Insidious. The scares are strategically planned, though not wholly unexpected. We are not saying that we are impenetrable when it comes to the scares. We will gladly admit that there was one later in the story that did its job, which we interpret more of a sign that we were invested in the tale to that point. Being scared at any horror flick is subjective. 

 

We also picked up on bits of It Follows going on here and this might be the first time that someone has gone and done a nod to Christopher Nolan’s seminal thriller Inception in a horror flick. Look for that in the climax. 

 

Riley’s father Randall is the wild card here. They are his actions which give way to the change ups that keep the story interesting. Because of him there are twists and turns that will keep you on your toes. Randall is something of a grey-zone villain here. They’ve done horrible things to keep their daughter alive. What father wouldn’t do anything and just let their child die? Don’t answer that. There is more to the Harris family story that awaits you in this tale. Look for the deliciously macabre Julian Richings in their cameo for further information. 

 

Agatha is very low key comedic relief. It is not overplayed, it is the kind of humor that will make you chuckle rather than burst out laughing. It is enough to give you pause but not let you off the hook as the sands in the hourglass of horror threaten to run out completely. Before that though It Feeds finishes with a climax that will make you cheer: fighting a demon in the realm of the subconscious. 

 

Making movies is a team effort and Archibald brought on some very talented folks to make his vision a reality. Start with the cool art direction from Steve Bennett that rises to the occasion every time Cynthia enters someone’s subconscious. They turned dreamscapes into nightmarish landscapes. When Cynthia takes a dive they are decked out in awesome costumes from Madi Styles, perhaps drawing inspiration from a horror classic like Tarsem Singh’s The Cell? Perhaps.

 

The creature design from Daniella Pluchino and the creature work from actor Brooklyn Marshall is terrific as well. All of these facets of production come together nicely and we think more than anything give clues to show how ancient this evil entity that has possessed Riley really is. 

 

Ultimately, It Feeds, while effective, scary and fun as a horror thriller, is about coping with trauma. While helping their mom’s clients heal from past trauma and hardships Jordan has been ignoring her own. True, Cynthia wants nothing to do with Riley based on her family’s past experiences and we see from the start that there is great risk to Cynthia every time she dives into a client’s subconscious.

 

But what happened to their family in the past has been more scarring than a physical response during these sessions. Cuts are superficial. Loss is scarring. It is only when Jordan’s life is in peril that Cynthia needs to face her fears, and go and save her daughter. 

 

When you have faced your fears, facing your trauma, then the healing can begin. Pray that you won’t have to defeat a life-draining demon on the way.